The invention relates to a method for automatically obtaining an operational sequence of processes, a method for checking a sequence of processes to be worked through to ascertain inconsistencies in the data flow and a tool for arranging or testing a sequence of processes to be worked through, in particular a sequence of calculation functions of operating system software, for example operating system software of an electronic controller for a motor vehicle.
The publication “Kürzere Entwicklungszeiten mit automatischer Codegenerierung” [shorter development times with automatic code generation ] in Automotive Engineering Partners 5/99, Vieweg GmbH, Verlag Friedrich & Sohn Verlagsgesellschaft mbH of the GWV Fachverlagen GmbH, discloses a tool for automatic code generation for operating system software of motor vehicle controllers and also a testing tool for checking the functions of a controller. The tool for automatic code generation automatically translates the technical presettings of development engineers, which are in the form of a physical description of an automatic control system, into the code that can be read by a controller of a motor vehicle. The testing tool addresses the controller via an interface and generates physically correct signals which would be generated in the actual operation of a motor vehicle. Therefore, the system behavior of the controller, and more precisely its operating system software, can be investigated at an early stage in the laboratory in a simulation of the closed control loop.
However, the tool is not able to determine independently the sequence of processes of an automatic control system, but mainly serves only for translating manual presettings into software code. Furthermore, it is often desirable to take over already tested sequences of processes or individual processes from existing libraries for a new development and to insert new processes at a suitable point of the existing sequence or to link up in an executable sequence known, tested processes with processes to be newly devised.